MCPD Training Online – Overview
I must disclose to any one reading this review that Insider Training is my favorite IT training company. I will be starting my third track with them in a few weeks. Insider has revolutionized training with their platform, and their approach is so simple that you cannot believe that no one else in the industry presents certification tracks this way. For six years running, Reviewboard has awarded Insider Training the “Editor’s Choice Award” and top rankings of five out of five stars. Soon you too will refuse to sit in any boring classroom for a 40 hour week or give yourself the boot camp lobotomy. Most of Insider Training offerings are live training sessions online, but they have recognized that the majority of developers would rather go at their own pace and have access to a top notch instructor to mentor with if and when needed, so they offer an all inclusive on demand package for MCPD.
According to Insider Training’s marketing materials, “The MCPD certification can be a career changing achievement, but success in mastering the scope of material demands a structured, non-rushed approach led by an authority on the subject.” This could not be more true. I still have 200 hours of MCPD training on CBTs from one of their competitors, but I just do not have the motivation to start, let alone the drive to finish. Very cool graphics, but no direction, no expert guidance through the process.
Insider Training is like having a buddy that is one of the top trainers in the country, who gives you all the insights from what will most likely be on an exam to what you need to know on the job (insider information) and includes all the resources necessary to get certified and learn a ton that impresses the boss. Do not let the name fool you though. You will need to study and learn. No one is giving you the answers to any exams. No brain dumps here.
They have a 1-2-3 approach. First you watch the recordings as many times as you need to make sure you are following all the lecture. When you think you have got it, you move on to the 2nd step-Insider Training proprietary study guides. These guides are all based on concepts. Let’s face it, if you understand the concept, you should be able to answer any question. Once you think you have all the concepts down, you move on to step 3-Transcender practice exams. There are usually three for each exam title. This is the top of the line Transcender product and it is included in the price of training. When you are acing these practice exams it is time to go take your official exam.
What is new with the MCPD?
I tried to find the answer to these questions everywhere, even on Microsoft’s site, but once again Insider Training had compiled, processed and recapped this must know information in perfect form. This is all information Insider provided to me in the sales process.
If you are getting certified today you want to work toward the MCPD, not the MCSD path. This is a much better structure for certifying with Microsoft technologies because it matches what we do in the market place. People are typically Windows or Web Developers first and then add the techniques for Distributed resulting in the complete skill set. If you need MCSD information (Insider Training offers free access to those recordings with the all inclusive on demand purchase. Just request them at the time of payment.)
MCSD vs. MCPD
Many people are confused by the new designations MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) and MCPD (Microsoft Certified Professional Developer) and don't know how it correlates to MCSD. The MCPD is the "new generation" certification and will replace the MCSD moving forward. All the future exam updates are within the MCPD structure, using VB.NET and 2.0 framework.
Certification makes the most sense if you look at it from the exam point of view. There are 5 exams:
1. The basic .Net Skills exam 70-536
2. Building Web Applications exam 70-528
3. Building Window Applications exam 70-526
4. Building Component and Services Application Exam 70-529
5. The Design exam 70-549
The MCTS certifications are specialized by applications type:
MCTS: Web Applications- requirements are successful pass of exams 1 and 2 above.
MCTS: Windows Applications - requirements are successful pass of exams 1 and 3 above.
MCPD: Enterprise requirements are successful pass of exams 1-5 above.
VB vs. C#
Many people have questions about C# vs. VB. In the .NET world, 85% of coding is done by calling functionality that is in the .Net Framework and in that case, the language doesn't matter. The next 10% is the language syntax, leaving perhaps 5% real functional differences. You will notice that the MS Press certification books address both languages and that is the way classes are taught as well.
MCPD Training Online - Course Focus
From day one, the instructor, J. Mel Harris (a Microsoft MVP) pushed us towards two core goals – 1) Learn the ‘real world’ aspects of the products inside and out, and 2) Get ready to pass all five certification exams.
1. The basic .Net Skills exam 70-536
2. Building Web Applications exam 70-528
3. Building Window Applications exam 70-526
4. Building Component and Services Application Exam 70-529
5. The Design exam 70-549
The pricing is so incredible that even if you do not want all five, it is less expensive than any other alternative with all the mentoring included.
MCPD Training Online - What You Receive
After signing up for the 64 hour course in May, I received a nice headset with microphone (Came in handy when I needed to speak to Mel in a live WebEx session to answer my questions), five Microsoft Press books, and five Transcender practice test software products. The books and Transcenders alone are worth over $800, if I went out and purchased them myself retail. After I signed my student agreement and credit card receipt, I was sent login information to all 64 hours of a previously recorded live session that finished the month before, plus some self paced sessions. I was sent the procedures for when and how to request my Transcender download codes.
MCPD Training Online – Conclusions
I took my MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) course live and am set to start my MCTS: SQL 2005 with MCITP: Developer next. Once you get started and see how you start to use your newly acquired knowledge, you can’t help but want to get more certifications. I used to feel confident that a good programmer will always have work and certification is for the networkers, not us. I do not feel that way anymore. With all the competition overseas, and talk of a recession, (isn’t that what the IT industry has been suffering since 2001?) I want as many little letters after my name on my resume as possible. The price is more than fair. I find the classes at Insider Training to be about half of their online competitors and seventy five percent less than Certified Training and Education Centers and boot camps.
5 out of 5 stars for Insider Training's online MCPD training and certification course. They also earn our 2007 Editors Choice Award for “Best IT Training”. This is the 5th (6th as of 2008) year Insider Training has received this honor.
Other live courses offered by Insider Training are: MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, Upgrade from 2003 to 2008 Server, MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, MCITP: Database Developer, MCITP: Database Administrator, MCTS: Exchange 2007 (includes Exchange 2003 recorded access), MCITP: Exchange 2007, MCTS: Vista with MCITP: Vista (to begin in the fall of 2008), Security+, CISSP, Novell SUSE, Net+ and many custom/private courses.
